Edible Vancouver Island November/December 2023

FEATURE ARTICLE

After the dinner, Grandmother would leave the bowl of kutya and a glass and spoon on the table for the relatives who have died.

WORDS OKSANA FIRAK Christmas in Ukraine Childhood memories of Christmases far away

W hen the joyful melody of jingle bells and bright decorations on the streets remind me that Christmas is approaching, my memory always takes me to Zolochiv, a picturesque small town in Western Ukraine. I was born and raised in this beautiful town, with its medieval castle and centuries-old churches. Traditionally, all generations–grandparents, parents and kids–celebrate Christmas together. When my mother’s parents were still alive, we celebrated Christmas in their cozy house in the little village, surrounded by forests and covered in snow. I like to close my eyes and imagine that wonderful time when I was a kid and Christmas was a pure fairy tale. We would go to the village a few days before Christmas and the magic would begin. My father would buy a big fluffy fir tree and my

sister, brother and I would decorate it with glass toys we inherited from our mother–colourful birds, animals, fruits, cones and balls, as well as candies and nuts wrapped in foil, and a big star on the top of the tree. Grandfather would spread hay on the floor, which symbolizes the manger where Christ was born. The little house would fill with the wonderful aroma of the dry herbs and flowers that had grown in our garden. In the corner under the icon (home altar), Grandfather would place a sheaf of wheat, a symbol of harvest, prosperity and wealth. And then Grandmother and Mother would start to cook the dishes for Christmas Eve dinner. According to traditions, the dinner must consist of 12 dishes for both the number of Apostles in the Bible and months in the year. All the dishes are lean, because on Christmas Eve ends the 40-day

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